Thursday, November 28, 2013

Friday after we came back from dinner at the Blue Gate, we all settled down into an evening of stitching. It was also time to work on our annual retreat project. This year, I selected "A Needlework Collage" using the pattern from Erica Michaels. Here is a picture of our sample model.

The designer, Linda Stolz, used a piece of silk gauze on which she stitched the word "Needles." She added a few wool pages and some sticker numbers denoting needle size and created some needle pages. She also handwrote a familiar verse, "All of my scattering moments are taken up with my needle." We had a table full of supplies to utilize to create our own collage on trading card pages. We could use pieces of our own stitching, scrapbook paper, fabric trims, wool, buttons and whatever else struck our fancy. This was our project to create and whatever materials we wished to include would be perfectly fine. Here are a few attendees perusing the available supplies.

Several ladies actually finished their pages at the retreat. Here are some examples:

I gave everyone a challenge for next year's retreat. Whoever has finished their collage needs to bring it and we'll take a vote. There will be a prize for the "People's Choice" collage. Here are some examples from the designer of different ways you can utilize scraps of stitching and other needlework media.

There is one more part left to this retreat recap. Check back again for the details of our last days together.

Saturday, November 9, 2013

The boutique is packed and in the van. I make the trek alone this year and it was a good thing....there is no way I could have fit a passenger in the van! It was loaded to the roof. I pulled into the Farmstead Inn driveway about 2pm local time, checked with the front desk for room info, then drove around back to the conference center to start unloading the van. This is the sight that greeted me.

I don't think there is a more wonderful sight: gazing upon an oasis of stitchy contentedness for the first time, knowing that 3 days of bliss is in store for you. I love the Farmstead Inn. Everytime I see that "red barn" conference center, I get a smile in my heart. I set about unloading the van and after a little while, help arrived and we finished the unload. Setup of the boutique commenced. It took about 6 of us working diligently to get the boutique ready for our attendees. About 4:30, I ran down to my room to change clothes and freshen up. The room is ready and waiting...table assignments have been made and each attendee has a name tag waiting for them on the edge of the table.

This was the sight that greeted everyone in the hall on the way to our conference room:

Boutique:

Here's our first evening together. Everyone is mingling together and having fun; making new friends!

We went to lunch the next day and I was able to snap a pic of some of the ladies that help me out with the retreat and other "shop" doings. L to R: Pam, Grace, Debbie & Rita

Getting a little bit of stitching in before heading over to the Blue Gate Restaurant for dinner.

Stay tuned for Part II....lots to write about and more pictures to show you!

About Me

Owner of Inspired Needle Ltd, a brick and mortar retail needlework shop located in Lemont, IL. I've been doing some sort of needlework since a young girl. I never thought I'd own my shop but the opportunity presented itself and I ran with it! I love to go to work everyday! I'm also a member of Waterfall Glen Chapter EGA located in Darien, IL.